Changes in heterosexual university undergraduates' HIV-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour: Melbourne, 1989-1994. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Changes in heterosexual university undergraduates' HIV-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour: Melbourne, 1989-1994.

Genitourin Med. 1996 Apr;72(2):123-7. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/96273401
Rosenthal DA; Smith AM; Reichler H; Moore S; Centre for the Study of Sexually Transmissible Diseases, LaTrobe; University, Carlton South, Australia.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in the AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of first year university undergraduates in 1989 and 1994. DESIGN: Comparisons were made between cross-sectional surveys, conducted in 1989 and 1994, of first year undergraduates at three Melbourne universities. RESULTS: The 1994 cohort reported more positive attitudes toward, and better knowledge of, safe sex practices and less discrimination against perceived risk groups than did the 1989 cohort; however, this was due primarily to improvement among female undergraduates. Male undergraduates either demonstrated no improvement or a decline in pro-safe sex attitudes. A general increase was found in the proportion of respondents always using condoms for vaginal sex with casual and regular partners and for oral sex with casual and regular partners. CONCLUSIONS: While the extent of sexual behaviour among these young people has remained essentially unchanged over the past five years, the extent of self-reported condom use has increased markedly. The general decline in attitudinal measures among young men contrasts with a marked improvement among young women and suggests the need for education programs targeted specifically at this group.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*PSYCHOLOGY Adolescence Adult Condoms/UTILIZATION Cross-Sectional Studies Female Human *Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Male Sex Behavior Sex Factors Social Alienation Social Responsibility *Students Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Victoria JOURNAL ARTICLEKWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/KWDpsychologyadolescenceadultcondoms/utilizationcross-sectionalstudiesfemalehumanKWDknowledge,attitudes,practicemalesexbehaviorsexfactorssocialalienationsocialresponsibilityKWDstudentssupport,non-uKWDsKWDgov'tvictoriajournalarticle
961130
M96B1822

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